Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

John McGuinness

Question:

164 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a slaughter premium and national envelope payment for one animal has not been made to persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [6812/02]

John McGuinness

Question:

165 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason suckler cow payments are not being made to persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if the error in dates made by his Department is the reason for the delay; and if so, if payment will be issued. [6813/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Parliamentary Questions No. 164 and No. 165 together.

Payment to the amount of €25.97 for slaughter premium 2000 and €18.74 for national envelope 2000 in respect of one animal slaughtered on 18 August 2000, will be issued within the next week. The delay in payment in this case was due to an outstanding query on the movement of the animal into the herd which has been recently resolved with reference to herd testing data. Under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme an application in respect of 32 animals was submitted on 18 January 2001. Payment of the 80% advance, amounting to €5,244.45, issued on 24 October 2001.

All 2001 applications submitted under the suckler cow premium are cross checked against the cattle movement monitoring system – CMMS. In this case, the CMMS database showed that one of the animals applied on had been slaughtered on 19 January 2001, during the scheme's six months retention period, and no animal replacement details had been provided by him. My Department's district livestock office wrote on 5 February 2002, seeking clarification on the death of the animal. It was confirmed that it had been slaughtered in October 2001 and is consequently eligible for payment. The correct date of slaughter is now being updated on the CMMS database. Payment of the balance of entitlement will issue within the next two weeks.